Will “smart grid” meters give government control?

I appreciate The Post making us aware of the move toward smart grid meters. And while you did a fair job of assessing some of the potentials problems and issues associated with this new technology, it seems to me you missed the most obvious concern.

You stated that one of the benefits of this new system is that it will “allow the utilities to talk back to the meters.” However, if this is true, might not it also be possible for the utilities, which are government regulated, to control how much energy citizens use?

With the specter of the cap-and- trade bill passing in Congress that would necessarily impose limits and fines on CO2 production, how unlikely is it to imagine that the government might also seek to force compliance with it through the “smart grid”?

If this is even remotely possible, steps need to be taken to ensure that government doesn’t control our thermostats, light usage, cooking habits, etc., much less every other aspect of our lives. Until this is done, keep me on the old “stupid grid.”

Terry P. Beh, Castle Rock

This letter was published in the Nov. 8 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

This kind of reminds me of the On-Star commercial I saw recently…the one where On-Star flashes the stolen car's lighrs and cuts the engine's power…from an office a thousand miles away (if that close; heck, the office could be in India.)Everything is becoming so…computerized…that…whoever runs the computers….can control…the car we drive…how much electricity we use…and when we use it…how much water we use…and when we use it…etc etc etc.While there are obvious benefits to such…technology….I wonder if we should be worried about any possible drawbacks….particularly if the…Government controls the computers….or if the computers are out-sourced to…computer geeks in….India?

Chris P

Well the citizenry aren't capable of controlling themselves. They drive while on their cell-phones. Leave lights on and are totally ignorant about global warming.If they had behaved correctly in the first place and not become energy and material hogs there would be no need for this.It's basically self inflicted.

liamm

Terry – you can put the aluminum hat away. Smart grid would only allow you to enter into an agreement with the electric company to tweak your usage on agreed-to devices, at agreed-to times, under agreed-to conditions per terms that you would agree to AND BE COMPENSATED FOR. If you didn't like the terms, you could simply refuse them and not allow the smartness to be applied to your house and remain dumbed down. So not to worry….

DaftPunk

And the governmant could manipulate the price of tin foil, and then we couldn't afford hats any more!

somedude

“Well the citizenry aren't capable of controlling themselves.”Cornerstone of the people who think government should control everything in our lives, Constitution be damned. We have to let the elites tell us how to live for our own good.

gwc

As if Government and the states can control themselves better than it's citizens. I would like you to name a state run or Government run agency that is not operating in the negative, or is run ethically, morally, and without recieving or taking money from special interests. While yes America might consume more energy than most other nations, but China is the worlds #1 polluter, and they refusr to participate.You speak of Global Warming (Al Gore), why not ask Al to turn off some of his lights down in Tennessee, or fly in a smaller luxury jet thats more fuel efficient. He is making millions of his lies about Global Warming, and sits at the heads of, or boards of companies that are in place to clean up and get rich, while the rest of us go without because of falsehoods.By your theory we wont be allowed to carry passengers in our autos either, they might cause or start conversations and will be a distraction also.

gwc

As if Government and the states can control themselves better than it's citizens. I would like you to name a state run or Government run agency that is not operating in the negative, or is run ethically, morally, and without recieving or taking money from special interests. While yes America might consume more energy than most other nations, but China is the worlds #1 polluter, and they refusr to participate.You speak of Global Warming (Al Gore), why not ask Al to turn off some of his lights down in Tennessee, or fly in a smaller luxury jet thats more fuel efficient. He is making millions of his lies about Global Warming, and sits at the heads of, or boards of companies that are in place to clean up and get rich, while the rest of us go without because of falsehoods.By your theory we wont be allowed to carry passengers in our autos either, they might cause or start conversations and will be a distraction also.

Answer will it give Obama control . Yes at 1:00 PM CST today a field supervisor told me and a buddy it will give the FED the power to shut off any single home or up to a whole state.We are facing a takeover by the FED through the Utility companies.

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